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Hypertension, or high blood pressure, should never be overlooked. It can lead to debilitating or fatal health conditions, specifically kidney disease, stroke, and heart attack. Hypertension is diagnosed when blood pressure exceeds 140/90 for individuals under age 60 and 150/90 for those over 60. It can be caused by obesity, family history of heart disease, stress, high-fat and salty diets, sedentary lifestyles, and old age, apart from smoking and drinking.

High blood pressure may elevate the risk of diabetes, too. People with diabetes are either completely void of insulin (type 1 diabetes), suffer from too little insulin, or cannot effectively use insulin (cases of type 2 diabetes). Both types significantly heighten a person’s risk for serious complications, such as blindness and kidney failure, considered a critical risk factor for strokes, heart ailments, and foot or leg amputations.

If you suffer from hypertension, it’s vital to educate yourself on the relationship between hypertension and diabetes to effectively manage your blood pressure.

The Link between Hypertension and Diabetes

A recent study, conducted over a seven-year period, observed more than 4 million people initially free of diabetes or vascular illnesses. Of the study group, those with hypertension stood a 50% higher risk of type 2 diabetes over the entire period. The study confirms the findings of an earlier research indicating a diabetes risk of more than 70% for those with high blood pressure.

The bridge between hypertension and diabetes is built upon a variety of afflictions associated with the former, according to a Cheung and Li study. It has been found that high blood pressure, obesity, low-grade inflammation, oxidative stress, and insulin resistance play major roles in the development of diabetes.

Lifestyle changes are just as critical as medicines. If you’re overweight, you should adopt a physical activity routine and a proper diet. Brisk walking or any moderately vigorous activity for at least 30 minutes each day, five times or more per week, can help treat hypertension.

Eating regimens like the DASH diet, consisting of more fiber (i.e., fruits and vegetables) and less saturated fats, complement your physical routine. In the same vein, decreasing your salt intake to less than 1,500 milligrams per day also mitigates hypertension. Indeed, embracing these lifestyle goals can increase the effectiveness of hypertension medicine.

If you are unsure how to start reducing your hypertension and its potential for the development of diabetes, visit walk-in clinics where a medical staff can expertly diagnose your hypertension and offer comprehensive treatments toward prevention of related diseases.

SourcesAn Overview of High Blood Pressure Treatment, WebMD.comDiabetes and High Blood Pressure, WebMD.comDiabetes and Hypertension: Is There a Common Metabolic Pathway?, NCBI.nlm.nih.gov

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